National Louis University launches new transfer-friendly program, Direct to Success!
New program to support associate’s degree completers from 20+ partner community colleges – including City Colleges of Chicago -- to earn their bachelor’s degree and achieve economic mobility
National Louis University, a leading Hispanic Serving Institution and Minority Serving Institution, is excited to announce a new partnership with over 20 community colleges. NLU’s new Direct to Success (D2S) program will officially launch as a seamless transfer experience for students interested in any of NLU’s sixteen Bachelor’s degree pathways. Students who transfer to NLU with an Associate’s degree will be guaranteed junior standing and will receive a Direct to Success scholarship, a 25% discount off NLU’s hourly tuition rate.
The development of D2S came out of an industry need to better support transfer students in their transition to 4-year universities. We know there is no lack of talent in the city and community colleges, but a leaky transfer pipeline leaves on average 4.4 million students nationwide without a clear transfer pathway to Bachelor’s degree attainment. In the local Chicagoland market, this means that there is the potential to serve 10,000 additional transfer students. Furthermore, data shows that for students who began their postsecondary education at a community college in fall 2013, lower-income students were half as likely as their higher-income peers to have transferred to a four-year institution (24% vs. 40%) and to have attained a bachelor’s degree (10% vs. 21%) within six years of first entry (Tracking Transfer, CCRC- 2020 update).
“We are approaching this new initiative with an equity lens in mind. There are not enough affordable transfer opportunities that meet the unique needs of Associate-degree earning students. Ensuring that we provide a transfer-receptive culture and act proactively to dismantle barriers to Bachelor’s degree attainment and sustainable employment are our top priorities in launching D2S,” said Jennifer Robin, Director of Transfer Strategy at NLU.
Accordingly, D2S was designed following extensive industry research as well as student, faculty, and staff input, and it will offer six core benefits to students:
Great Value: A 25% scholarship off the quarterly rate for students who transfer within one year of completing an Associate’s degree at an NLU partner institution. This translates into roughly $15,000 per year tuition for full-time students, making NLU the most affordable private school in the Chicagoland area for transfer students and more affordable than most public institutions.
Generous Credit Transferability & Seamless Transfer Experience: Generous acceptance of transfer credits aligned with the Illinois Articulation Initiative, broad access admissions (2.0+ GPA), and streamlined admissions with rapid transfer credit evaluation and early financial aid award estimates.
Convenient, Predictable Course Schedule: Tailored to working adult students by blending campus-based and online instruction, with day-time, evening, weekend, and online course options. Campus-based students are never required to be on-campus more than 2 days per week, and students can also choose to enroll fully online.
Career Acceleration: Integrated career development starting in the first quarter at NLU, including a dedicated Career Advisor, the opportunity to participate in the nationally-recognized Braven Career Accelerator, and intensive job placement support to graduate with a job offer in-hand.
Support to Succeed: Small class sizes fueled by active learning and taught by expert faculty. A structured, co-curricular Third Year Experience to ensure transfer students are welcomed fully into the NLU community, and a Transfer Student Support Hub offering academic and wraparound support with day-time, evening, and virtual hours.
Inclusive Community: A diverse and transfer-receptive school community dedicated to social belonging, racial equity, and empowering student voice through opportunities such as Student Advisory Council, Black Student Union, NLU Pride, Centro de Excelencia, and more.
Building stronger partnerships with is one of the largest goals of the D2S initiative. Nelly Marcial, Director of the Transfer Center at Triton College explains, “Direct to Success at National Louis University provides access to a university that community college students might not otherwise have. By delivering coaching and advising support prior to the student's enrollment and adding the incentive to complete an Associate's degree the partnership is the perfect formula for a successful transfer pathway for our grads.”
In addition to partnering directly with community colleges, NLU is forging partnerships with college success organizations such as One Million Degrees, a leadership and professional development program operating at all seven City Colleges of Chicago as well as suburban Harper College. “NLU's Direct to Success program is an amazing opportunity for our students, who are all currently pursuing their Associate degrees, to have an affordable option they can transfer to and continue their education,” adds Xavier Mann, Senior Manager of Program Supports at OMD.
Through D2S, NLU’s goal is to significantly increase the number of students with Associate’s degrees transferring to NLU in order to achieve their postsecondary goals, as nationally, 80% of community college students want to transfer to a four-year institution, but only 25% do. Supporting transfer students to transition successfully, graduate, and achieve their career goals is of utmost importance. Robyn Moncrief, Assistant Professor and Department Chair for Computer Science & Information Systems, adds, “Transfer students on their way to a Bachelor’s degree in computing face many challenges, especially those who come to the field from underrepresented communities. We are excited that D2S will support these students and provide a well-defined pathway to help them move forward. Supporting transfer students is key to increasing diversity in the field. We are creating an experience where they receive the mentoring, career support, and real-world project experience necessary to succeed.”
Currently, direct transfer students at NLU are outperforming national benchmarks: their 4-year graduation rate at NLU is 55%, while the national average is 38%. Lisa Downey, Associate Dean of Undergraduate Educator Preparation, adds, “Students interested in becoming teachers will have a streamlined, affordable way to complete their degrees and get into classrooms with children as soon as possible--exactly where we need them! As we prepare the next generation of teachers and teachers as agents of change, providing access to students of color is our priority, so they can go into their communities and create change one student and one classroom at a time. D2S will provide more opportunities for the students who need it most.”
The past year has been one of learning and growth for all. As we all reintegrate into our post-pandemic lives, it is important to move forward in supporting students in the choices they make about their post-secondary goals. We know that students of color are more likely to attend a community college upon high school graduation. Supporting equitable transfer and ensuring positive degree attainment and employment outcomes is thus a social justice issue, and one that NLU is beyond excited to take on. “Ensuring that a university not only supports but also celebrates transfer students is of utmost importance right now. Through D2S, NLU is committed to building a strong pipeline of transfer students and equipping them to earn their Bachelor’s degree and launch into upwardly mobile employment,” says Aarti Dhupelia, Vice President and Dean of the Undergraduate College at NLU. NLU is currently the most popular four-year private institution destination for Chicago Public School graduates, and NLU now seeks to become the top broad access four-year institution for local community college transfer students. NLU is excited to launch D2S in Fall 2021 and build on its commitment to bettering Chicago’s communities.
List of our current D2S Community College Partners:
Morton College
Triton College
Harper College
Joliet Junior College
South Suburban College
Waubonsee Community College
Prairie State College
Kankakee Community College
Black Hawk College
Rock Valley College
Kishwaukee Community College
Lewis and Clark Community College
Taylor Business Institute
St. Augustine College
College of DuPage
City Colleges of Chicago:
Olive-Harvey College
Richard J. Daley College
Truman College
Harold Washington College
Kennedy-King College
Wright College
Malcolm X College
Oakton Community College
Illinois Valley Community College
Sauk Valley Community College
